When your emotions overwhelm you and you have trouble self-regulating, it may disrupt your learning, relationships and get in the way of the goals you set for yourself. But you can build your self-regulation skills and put strategies in place that will help you cope with intense emotions without feeling compelled to react in extreme or inappropriate ways.
The start of school is never easy for adolescents and teens – especially as we continue to deal with COVID. But young people can take care of their mental health. Practicing self-care and reaching out for help when you need it are key to managing difficult feelings and emotions during the first weeks of school and beyond.
Adolescents and teens need routines for the sake of their mental and physical health. During the summer, these can be difficult to maintain. Hours of unstructured time, can leave young people feeling lethargic, untethered, anxious and depressed. Consider working with your teen to build a summer schedule that allows for downtime but also provides a routine that helps them feel healthy, active and secure.
The trauma that causes PTSD, especially in young people, may look different than you imagine. Not only kids who have experienced war or natural disaster suffer from the disorder. According to the research, more than two-thirds of adolescents have experienced some form of trauma. Of those, between three and 15 percent of kids show signs of PTSD.
The connection young people form with their pets can be enormously beneficial for their mental health. Pets provide a sense of calm, comfort and unconditional love. Just as impactful, is giving a young person the responsibility of caring for and protecting an animal.
Sibling relationships are powerful and complex. They can have an enduring impact on a young person’s mental and behavioral health. So, it is often helpful to consider how a sibling can be part of treatment and healing when working with adolescents and teens in the therapeutic setting.
